Detroit Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Sexual abuse is far more common than many understand. Every year in Detroit, there are thousands of victims of sexual abuse and assault, many of whom don’t know where to turn for answers. A Detroit sexual abuse lawyer can help. 

In 2021 alone, there were 795 reported incidents of sexual assault in Detroit, which doesn’t include the countless others that went unreported that year.

Victims who have been sexually abused or assaulted can seek legal assistance to file civil lawsuits against their abusers. Injury Lawyer Team is a law firm that supports survivors throughout the city of Detroit, helping them pursue compensation and seek justice for legal damages suffered because of sexual abuse or assault.

Why Choose Injury Lawyer Team for Your Detroit Sexual Assault Attorney

Our commitment is to support these survivors through the claims process to improve their chances of financial recovery.

At Injury Lawyer Team, seeking compensation for our clients is our top priority. However, we also understand the importance of demonstrating compassion to those who have been sexually abused. Your Detroit sexual abuse lawyer will handle the heavy lifting of your civil lawsuit so you can focus on healing physically and emotionally.

Our law firm has a proven track record of winning settlements for those who have experienced sexual trauma. During the legal process, we will investigate your claim thoroughly, assess all legal damages to determine a fair settlement amount, and protect your rights under Michigan law. We will fight relentlessly on your behalf to hold either individuals or institutions accountable for your suffering.

What is Sexual Abuse in Detroit MI?

Sexual abuse is defined as a person forcing or pressuring someone else into sexual contact. This slightly broader definition covers many forms of abuse. Sexual assault has a similar meaning, but with the added characteristic of penetration.

The critical element in both definitions is that the conduct occurs without the victim’s consent. This includes people who are forced into something through violence or threats and people who are unable to give legal consent, such as minors. Additionally, sexual abuse and assault typically occur when there are power imbalances between the two parties.

Sexual abuse can have long-lasting effects on victims, but it does not always look the same. Here are some common forms of abuse you may experience that could result in a civil claim:

• Sexual intercourse – Sex offenses that involve penetrative sexual intercourse, which can include sexual oral contact, is considered assault when the victim does not give their consent or is unable to do so.
• Sexual exposure – Exposing someone to sexual imagery, such as photos, child pornography, or flashing, can be classified as abuse if it is done without their permission.
• Sexual exploitation – Those who have earned trust or power over others sometimes take advantage of more vulnerable individuals to abuse or assault them.
• Child sexual abuse – A child is unable to give legal consent, so any form of sexual contact or pressure is considered abuse. Even if a teenager consents, touching the child’s physical body can be regarded as child molestation, even if they are 13 and considered a teenager. 
• Unwanted physical contact – Touching someone in a sexual manner, with either a body part or object, could fall under the category of sexual abuse or assault. This may be referred to as child molestation. 
• Incest – Sex offenses that involve sexual contact between family members who are legally forbidden to marry, such as between a parent and child or siblings.
• Clergy sexual abuse – Abuse perpetrated by religious leaders or clergy members, often exploiting their position of trust and authority over congregants, including adults and minors.

This is not a comprehensive list, though. Unwelcome sexual advances that create a hostile work environment are also sex crime cases that can lead to financial compensation. Our legal team can help you learn more about sex offenses and how to hold responsible parties accountable. 

What Institutions Have Higher Rates of Criminal Sexual Conduct?

Sexual abuse cases occur in many different locations. Unfortunately, some of these attacks occur in institutions where people are supposed to be safe. Based on the cases we’ve handled, here are some institutions where you may experience sexual abuse or assault.

Workplaces

The workplace is one of the most common locations for sexual harassment or abuse. Often, these situations arise from power dynamics between managers or employers and employees. We can schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your case and a legal strategy. 

Inpatient Treatment Facilities

Clinics where patients can stay overnight for treatment are considered inpatient facilities. If patients are physically vulnerable, they could easily be sexually abused or assaulted by staff or other individuals in the clinic. This often leads to significant consequences for the victim, such as lasting emotional trauma. 

Correctional Facilities

Prisons feature intense power dynamics among inmates, guards, and other staff. As a result, sexual assault and abuse are common in correctional facilities and often get swept under the rug. You can seek compensation for sexual crimes. 

Foster Care

Foster families are responsible for caring for children who lack safe homes. However, vetting processes are imperfect, so a child could be placed in a house with an abuser. Adult survivors can win compensation. Our law firm can help prove the abuse beyond a reasonable doubt, even if the other party says they’ve been falsely accused. 

Daycare Facilities

Daycare centers should be positive experiences for children, allowing parents to work while their children are cared for. If some staff members are bad apples, they might abuse a child by exploiting their authority.

Educational Institutions

Academic facilities, such as schools, involve many relationships among students, teachers, and administrators. The differences in authority create opportunities for abusers to behave inappropriately toward those under their power.

Religious Institutions

Many of our past clients have experienced abuse at religious institutions. Clergy abuse is unfortunately common because of the amount of trust that religious leaders often hold. This can put members or participants in those organizations in vulnerable positions.

Nursing Homes

Nursing homes are rampant with abuse of all kinds, including sexual. Elderly individuals may not be capable of defending or advocating for themselves when abuse occurs, so abusive staff members or residents may take advantage.

Sports Clubs

In highly competitive environments, athletes may come to rely too heavily on their coaches or trainers. If these individuals with authority are abusive, they can use their relationships with young athletes to commit assault or abuse.

Military

The military has a long history of struggling to report and respond to instances of sexual abuse. Often, these incidents are swept under the rug to protect those in authority, placing others in even more vulnerable positions where they are afraid to speak up.

Short Term Rentals

Many sex abuse victims were assaulted or treated inappropriately while they stayed in hotels or other short-term accommodations. You never know what staff may have access to room keys in these locations.

Shelters

Shelters are meant to be refuges for people experiencing hardship in various areas of life. Unfortunately, these people are already highly vulnerable. When you add the lack of supervision and security in shelters to the mix, the opportunities for sexual abuse are numerous.

Choosing to file a civil case often requires careful consideration. However, remember that these are not criminal cases, and don’t involve anyone going to prison. Instead, we fight to secure the maximum compensation for you. 

What Should You Do After Sexual Assault?

If you are the victim of sexual abuse or assault, you must take the proper steps in the aftermath of the event.

Your first action should be to ensure your safety and seek immediate medical attention, especially if you have significant injuries. Not only should you prioritize your health, but your treatment could play a role in your legal claim.

Next, you should report the sexual abuse or assault to local authorities, such as the Detroit Police Department. They can also help you gather evidence, such as medical records. If you are not comfortable doing so, you could call the National Sexual Assault Hotline instead (800-656-4673).

Then, begin documenting all relevant information about your abuse. What happened in the lead-up to the actual abuse? What communications may have occurred between you and the perpetrator? What happened during and after the abuse? This information could also become essential in your lawsuit.

Contacting a Detroit sexual abuse lawyer should be the next step. Injury Lawyer Team can help you build a solid case to increase your chances of winning a fair settlement. You can start with a free consultation to ask questions about the claims process within the state’s legal system.

Lastly, you should look into support services for survivors of sexual abuse and assault. If one-on-one counseling with a professional would be helpful, then look up Detroit sexual abuse therapists. If you prefer other services, such as support groups, you can connect with an organization like First Step.

What Type of Damages Can You Recover Through the Legal Process?

An experienced sex crime lawyer from our law firm will help you pursue compensation for your legal damages. There are three types of damages you could claim in a sexual abuse case: Economic, non-economic, and punitive.

Economic damages include lost wages, medical expenses, future medical expenses, and therapy bills. Non-economic damages can include emotional distress, physical pain and suffering, post-traumatic stress disorder, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Punitive damages are only awarded in cases of malicious intent or extreme recklessness. These are intended to deter future harm. For example, a sex crimes lawyer may want punitive damages if a school repeatedly hires staff with a history of sex crimes. 

Several factors will also impact the settlement amount you can win. The severity of your injuries, the extent of your losses, the amount of evidence in the case, and the skill of your lawyer can all influence how much money you win during the legal process.

If you seek legal advice on your sex crime case, you can hardly do better than Injury Lawyer Team. Our law firm has worked with numerous clients who have experienced sexual trauma, winning settlements on their behalf.

We understand that money cannot reverse the pain in your body and mind, but it can help secure your future as you focus on healing physically and emotionally from malicious sex crimes. 

Who Can Be Held Liable in Sexual Assault Cases?

Establishing liability is a critical element in any personal injury lawsuit. To hold an individual or institution accountable for your damages, you must first prove their liability. Our experienced attorneys will guide you through the process, ensuring you take the right approach to seek justice.

For example, you may plan to hold an institution accountable for your sexual abuse case. Institutions could be liable for failing to prevent sex crimes, report incidents, or respond to complaints. Additionally, these entities may be complicit if they perform insufficient background checks, enact poor supervision practices, or create environments where abuse can occur.

You should also know that other legal precedents could play a role in the outcome of your case. Vicarious liability occurs when one entity is held responsible for the actions of another related entity. Title IX governs the treatment of different sexes at educational institutions.

Furthermore, if the sex crimes occurred within a religious institution, certain legal principles regarding power dynamics may affect your claim.

To seek justice in a legal action, you must prove liability. To do so, four elements must be present.

First, the defendant must have had a duty of care toward you. Second, they must have breached that duty through action or inaction. You must also prove causation between their actions and the incident in which you experienced sexual trauma. Lastly, there must be legal damages that resulted from the incident.

Your best chance of proving liability is by hiring a Detroit sexual abuse lawyer from our law firm. Our team has the sex crime expertise needed to navigate a sexual abuse claim. We understand which evidence will strengthen your claim, including police reports, eyewitness testimony, photos of physical injuries, proof of medical expenses, and statements from subject-matter experts.

With the support of our legal team, your sexual trauma civil lawsuit will have a better chance of recovering financial damages.

How Can Our Detroit Sexual Abuse Lawyers Help?

Many sex crime survivors are sometimes forced to file claims against powerful institutions or individuals with far more resources. When you have an experienced attorney on your side, the playing field is leveled.

Before you hire any legal representation, you can ask all the questions you have during a free consultation. During this conversation, we will discuss your legal options and the right path for your claim.

Then, we will conduct a detailed investigation of your sexual trauma case. This will involve assessing all your damages, gathering evidence, speaking to witnesses, consulting official reports, and building a strong case. If the defendant is stubborn, we will negotiate from a position of strength to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

If your case goes to court, we will represent you every step of the way. Preparation is key, and we will make sure you understand the process and what to expect throughout the proceedings.

What’s the Statute of Limitations for Filing a Sexual Assault Claim in Detroit, Michigan?

Abusers may face two types of legal consequences: a civil lawsuit and criminal charges. A prosecutor, such as a district attorney, can only file criminal charges, while civilians can file civil claims against perpetrators to recover damages.

According to Michigan law, you have a certain amount of time to file your claim in Michigan. For personal injury claims, you have ten years from the date of or discovery of criminal sexual conduct to file before the statute of limitations kicks in, after which you may not be able to secure compensation. You can pursue a civil claim even if the perpetrator is facing criminal allegations.

This statute does not apply to criminal charges. More severe cases of sexual abuse or assault can proceed to a criminal trial if they are filed within ten years of the incident. If you are uncertain about the deadline for your claim, seek legal advice from an experienced attorney.

Sexual abuse is a huge problem in Detroit, Michigan. You could suffer from lifelong emotional distress at the hands of the abuser. Although a civil lawsuit cannot undo the damage, it can help your financial recovery.

What’s the Average Settlement in Sexual Assault Cases in Detroit?

Settlements in Detroit range from a few thousand to millions of dollars. Several factors will impact the settlement offer or verdict you receive. 

The nature of the crime is one of these factors. For example, sexual assault tends to result in a larger settlement than sexual harassment when it comes to the legal process. The nature of your injury, whether the sex offender has previous sex crime allegations, and more can impact your settlement. Other factors may include: 

• How many sexual abuse survivors are included in the claim
• Whether the sexual assault survivors suffered lifelong injuries
• How long have sex crimes occurred?
• Whether an institution was negligent, such as a school hiring a known sex offender with previous cases of sexual misconduct or sex crime accusations
• If you work with an experienced sex crimes lawyer, and the defense strategy used
• Economic damages, such as financial assistance and medical costs
• Emotional trauma
• Whether other factors, such as domestic violence, physical force, or sexual penetration, were involved
• Whether there are long-term complications, such as mental health problems or sexual dysfunction

Our experienced Detroit sexual assault attorneys can help you learn more about the legal process, such as the importance of gathering evidence. We can handle any case, from sexual assault or statutory rape to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment. 

Example Cases in Wayne County

Monique Turner sued the Department of Corrections for sexual harassment. She stated that a male employee had continuously harassed her, and, after it was reported, the Michigan Department of Corrections failed to do anything. This created a hostile work environment. Turner was prescribed anti-anxiety medicine and suffered from headaches and nightmares. A sex crimes lawyer helped her win a mediated settlement of over $800,000. 

A teenager was awarded over $12 million in a shocking case. The lawsuit was filed against the individual Matt DeFilipo and the ambulance service Superior Ambulance. The teenager was repeatedly raped during the 50-minute ambulance ride. Plaintiff attorneys argued the ambulance service was at least partially liable. The sexual assault happened in the presence of the driver, who did nothing to stop the sexual assault. 

Superior Ambulance also knew that the man was a convicted felon when they hired him. He had lost his driving privileges, which is why he was in the back of the ambulance with a teenager strapped down to the gurney. The company stated that the sexual assault was due to a pedophile, not them. 

The court stated that this was 30% the ambulance service’s fault, making them the responsible parties for the sexual assault. 

Three plaintiffs were awarded over $2 million in a settlement for sex crimes that happened when they were nine years old. Their sex crimes lawyer told the story of how the girls were repeatedly abused. Although the teacher, Kearly, was suspended, a sex crimes lawyer uncovered shocking details of earlier allegations. There were previous allegations of child abuse and sexual harassment against the same man. The school was accused of minimizing reports of child abuse and failing to take action against Kearly for other child abuse accusations. 

Contact Us for a Free Consultation

A Detroit sexual abuse attorney from Injury Lawyer Team can ensure your rights are upheld as you pursue justice. We will work tirelessly to guide you through the claims process and help you hold the perpetrator accountable for their actions and secure fair compensation.

Complete our online contact form for a free case review. 

Related Practice Areas

• Ann Arbor Sexual Abuse Lawyer
• Grand Rapids Sexual Abuse Lawyer
• Sterling Sexual Abuse Lawyer
• Warren Sexual Abuse Lawyer

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.